Thomas Hampson : Autograph (12CD)

Autograph is a new series of Warner Classics box sets. Drawn from the EMI, Erato and Teldec catalogs, each box focuses on a single artist, providing a biographical panorama of his or her career through a series of thematically programmed CDs and fascinating documentation. Each collection is devised in collaboration with the featured artist and includes a newly-recorded exclusive interview with him/her, discussing the artist's life and work. Illustrated with musical extracts, the interviews are conducted by the distinguished journalist and broadcaster Jon Tolansky. The first artists to feature in the Autograph series are three leading singers of recent decades: soprano Angela Gheorghiu, baritone Thomas Hampson and bass-baritone Jose van Dam, all of whom have important anniversaries in 2015. One of today's most innovative and insightful singers, Thomas Hampson, who turns 60 this year, is widely admired for his accomplished performances and his commitment to musical research and education. Encompassing opera, operetta, song, oratorio and Broadway musicals, this special collection, whose track listing Hampson has personally overviewed, showcases his remarkable versatility and highlights some of his greatest operatic roles. The set also includes an interview documentary CD by Jon Tolansky, which offers fascinating insights into Hampson's career and achievements.